Trials of the Heart
by Wolfen Artist of Hetalia
Summary: When poachers break into the Aquarium and tried to capture him, he's left seriously wounded, with poison coursing through his veins. As Mit, Tula, and Por work furiously to try and make a cure, Kankri is called in to help watch over Cronus. Being so close stirs feelings inside of Kankri that he doesn't understand. Can Kankri figure out what they are before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1: The Break In

I wave my arm a bit to get her attention. Once she's looking at me, I hold a finger to my lips, signaling for her to stay quiet and motion for her to go further back in the tank and stay out of view. She looks at me confused for a bit before she understands and nods, swimming back to where, no doubt, Aranea is probably still sleeping. She does this just in time too, because, not thirty seconds after she disappears from view, the door opens.

I don't have time to hide without drawing attention to myself, as the unknown intruders slip inside. It only takes me a few seconds to recognize them as the poachers who had attacked my family and are the very reason for my being in this aquarium in the first place. Even in the darkness, I'm positive that it's them. They nearly killed my father with a harpoon and gave me the scar that's now on my forehead. I find myself unable to hold back the growl that bubbles up in my throat as my anger fills me.

My growl draws their attention to me and I swear that I can see them smile. They approach my tank and climb up the stairs to the ledge at the top edge of the tank. I look up at them, glaring fiercely at them. The hate that I feel towards them practically radiating off of me. They take a net out of their bag along with that looks like a gun. They hold it up and fire it at me. I quickly dodge and realize that it must be full of some kind of tranquilizer, since it's much quieter that what I'd imagined a real gun to sound like.

I'm able to avoid it for some time, as I continue to dodge it, until I find myself suddenly tangled up in their net. Damn it! They used the gun to force me closer to the wall where their net is. Hey manage to drag me out of the water and down the steps. I struggle against them the best I can while tangled in the net, trying to bite and claw my way through the rope but it's got some kind or wire reinforcing it that I can't break through. After I realize that trying to break through the rope net is hopeless, I turn my attention to the poachers themselves, to try and hurt them, hoping to injure them enough that they'll leave me.

I manage to give them some scratches, all of which they ignore. It's not until I'm able to sink my teeth into the arm of one of them that they acknowledge my attempts. Before I have time to react and try to avoid it, the other poacher pulls out a knife from a sheath strapped to his leg and stabs it into my side, the sharp blade cutting through my flesh easily. I can't hold back the howl of pain that rips itself from my throat as a horrible, burning pain tears through me, resonating outward from my side. It burns quickly through my entire body, making it feel as if my very veins were filled with fire.

Even, if the sounds of my struggling before hadn't woken the others from their slumber, they're definitely awake now. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Horrus looking out at me through the glass of his tank. His goggles are gone and his hair is lose which tells me that he only just woke up. He rushes further into his tank and out of sight. A few seconds later, the emergence alarm goes off. The poachers curse and try to escape, leaving me to bleed out on the floor, but the night security guard blocks their way.

The last thing I see before the sweet darkness of oblivion takes over is Kurloz and Horrus climbing out of their tanks to try and get to me.

A/N: Hey guys. SO yeah this is my newest story. Updates might take a little while because I'm in my senior year of high school and I'm really busy making sure I keep my grades up and finishing my art portfolio for college. I also an in need of a beta for this story. Sakura414, who is normally my beta is very busy with her own work and is already beta reading another story of mine that I've decided to edit and continue. The title is Hidden secrets thought that is subject to change.

So yeah I'll be needing a beta reader for this story. Preferably someone who has read homestuck, ships cronkri, and has a good understanding of the AU. The AU Belongs to Salihombox on tumblr. They are an amazing artist and fantastically creative and I highly recommend looking up her blog even if you don't have a tumblr. The blog where she keeps all of the Aquariumstuck stuff like comics and answers she does as well as little comics and art that others have made for her in a side blog but she has a link to it on her main blog so don't worry about having to track it down separately.

If you want to be my Beta send me a private message or leave a review. The spot will be given to the first offer so long as they can assure me that they have good grammar and know this AU. SO yeah. I look forward to writing more. If I made any errors please point them out to me since this first chapter is unbetad.

Review please, they're my life blood.

Until next time.

Wolf-chan out.


	2. Chapter 2: Explinations and Help

A/N: Alright chapter two. SO yeah still no Beta, unless I get one before I finish typing this chapter yeah so not much more to say. Hope you guys like this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Homestuck or this AU.

Enjoy.

Chapter II

Porrim's POV

I'm woken in the middle of the night by an incessant ringing that makes worry fill my heart. My extra cell that I keep on my desk, the one that's only ever called when there is a big emergency at the aquarium, is the source of the ringing noise. I rush to my desk and pick up the phone.

"Hello+?" I ask quickly, doing my best to remain calm, praying that there isn't actually an emergency and Mituna just forgot his key or called this cell by accident again.

"Porr1m, th4nk god you 4nsw3r3d. You n33d to g3t to th3 4qu4r1um 1M3D14T3LY! 1'll 3xpl41n 3v3ryth1ng wh3n you g3t h3r3, just hurry PL34S3," Latula, one of the doctors/scientists for the Aquarium, answers, the worry and panic that's clearly evident in her voice makes my heart sink.

"I'm o+n my way," I reply, before hanging up. I grab my long black coat off my desk chair and quickly slip it on over my night gown, slipping my feet into a pair of flats before grabbing my aquarium ID card and keys and rushing out the door. Here's no time to get properly dressed. Latula sounded very shaken and close to tears on the phone and she is definitely not the sort of person that is shaken easily so hearing her like that greatly worries me. My mind races, trying to think of what could have possibly happened to upset Latula so much. I drive as fast as I can within the speed limit and make the normally twenty minute drive in ten.

As soon as I'm there, I get out of my car, barely taking the time to lock it before I rush inside. I quickly reach the lab and find Mituna and Latula there with a very familiar form between them on the table.

"What happened?" I ask, as I hurry to the sink to wash my hands, before pulling on a pair of gloves and a mask.

"Two m3n brok3 1n 4nd tr13d to t4k3 Cronus. Th4t's wh4t Horrus 4nd Kurloz told us. W3 won't know mor3 unt1l w3 ch3ck th3 v1d3o c4m3r4 4nd t4lk to th3m som3 mor3. But f1rst w3 n33d to h3lp Cronus. W3r3 try1ng to stop th3 bl33d1ng 4nd clos3 th3 wound, but w3 th1nk th4t th3 kn1f3 th3y us3d w4s co4t3d 1n som3 k1nd of po1son. Th3 sk1n 4round 1s too swoll3n to st1ch 1t clos3d," Latula explains. Now that I'm closer, I can see the wound in Cronus' side. It's not incredibly large, only about an inch and a half to two inches long if I had to estimate, but I can't tell how deep it is. The area around the wound is incredibly swollen, to the point that it can't be closed and it's causing Cronus to lose blood at an alarming rate.

"We need to+ sto+p the bleeding first, so+ that he do+esn't bleed o+ut," I say Mit and Tula both nod and we immediately get to work. After a while, we're able to stop the bleeding, thankfully. We bandage the wound gingerly, since we're still not able to close the wound due to the swelling. Once done, I go to examine the knife that they'd already extracted from the wound. It's clear that there was a poison coating the knife. If Cronus is going to survive, we need to stop it. We won't be able to make an antidote though, until we first know just what kind of poison they used.

As Mit and Tula move Cronus into the tank used for serious injuries, I take the try that they placed the knife on and carry it into the lab. Using a q-tip, I take a sample of the poison and blood off of the surface of the blade and put it onto a glass slide and look at it under the microscope. Whatever poison it is, I can tell from its structure and the way it's interacting with the blood that it's going to be a few weeks before it takes full effect and kill's Cronus. That's good for us since it gives us more time to figure out how to make an antidote. At the same time, I can tell that this is going to be a very unpleasant and painful experience for Cronus. I'm not able to determine much else at the time from the blood and poison taken from the blade without further testing. I pray we'll be able to make an antidote before it's too late for Cronus.

For the time being, we need to do our best to make Cronus as comfortable as possible. Someone will have to stay by his side at all times to monitor him in case he takes a turn for the worse. This poses a problem. If me, Mit, or Tula stay by his side, that means there's one less person working to find an antidote and we need to do that as quickly as possible.

I sigh, thinking hard on what to do when, suddenly, I recall the coast guard member who saved Cronus and his family and brought them here, Kankri Vantas. He visits sometimes and Cronus always seems to enjoy his presence. Kankri also seems to have a bit of a soft spot from Cronus. Perhaps Kankri would be willing to come and help by watching over him.

Tula enters the lab and says, "Tun4 1s putt1ng Cronus 1n th3 3m3rg4ncy m3d room t4nk. H3's s3tt1ng up 4n 4r34 n34r th3 3dg3 of th3 t4nk wh3r3 Cronus c4n b3 comfort4bl3 4nd w3'll b3 4bl3 to g3t to h1m pr3tty 34s1ly 1n c4s3 of 4n 3m3rg4ncy."

"Go+o+d. I think that it wo+uld be best if so+meo+ne were to+ stay with him at all times, in case he takes a turn fo+r the wo+rse, ho+wever, if yo+u, Mit, o+r I were to+ do+ it, then there'd be o+ne less perso+n to+ search fo+r the antido+te. I can't determine much abo+ut the po+iso+n at the mo+ment o+ther than it's a slo+w acting o+ne. I was thinking that we co+uld ask Kankri Vantas to+ help watch o+ver him, that way, so+meo+ne will be watching o+ver him and we'll be able to+ fo+cus o+ur time o+n finding an antido+te," I tell her.

"Th4t's 4n 3xc3ll4nt 1d34. K4nkr1 w1ll t4k3 good c4r3 of Cronus. H3 l1k3s h1m 4 lot, 3v3n 1f h3 h1ms3lf do3sn't r34l1ze 1t y3t," Tula replies, agreeing with me.

"Why don't you c4ll K4nkr1 wh1l3 1 look ov3r th3 s3cur1ty v1d3o t4p3s 4nd t4lk to Kurloz 4nd Horrus to try 4nd f1gure out wh4t 3x4ctly h4pp3n3d," She says before leaving.  
I nod, turning back to my desk and reaching for the phone. It takes no more than a few seconds to dial the number and I hold it up to my ear. After only three rings, Kankri picks up.

"Hell9? P9rrim, is s9mething wr9ng? Why are y9u calling s9 late?" He answers, sounding tired, but definitely concerned. I feel bad about bringing him such bad news at such a late hour, but we really need his help. I take a deep breath to calm myself before speaking.

"Kankri, so+mething's happened to+ Cro+nus. We need yo+ur help."

Kankri's POV

I'm drawn from my work by my phone ringing. I'm already awake having stayed up late working on some reports for the Coast Guard that I've been putting off. Since tomorrow I have off, I'm staying up late tonight in order to catch up and hopefully get ahead on them. I pick up the phone and check the caller ID. It's Porrim calling from the Aquarium. A small knot of worry forms in my gut because, while I know that Porrim sometimes stays at the Aquarium late, she wouldn't call me from there at this hour unless something had gone wrong.

Answering quickly, I ask, "Hell9? P9rrim, is s9mething wr9ng? Why are y9u calling s9 late?"

I can hear her take a deep breath before she answers me, "Kankri, so+mething's happened to+ Cro+nus. We need yo+ur help."

At her words, my heart is filled with an icy dread, the likes of while I've never before felt. I stand, knocking over my chair, saying, "I'm 9n my way."

Grabbing my keys and jacket, I hurry to my car. It takes me a fraction of my normal time to get to the Aquarium. My heart is truly afraid for Cronus. We're not extremely close, but he's the closest thing I've ever truly had to a friend besides Porrim. He never gets annoyed at me when I ramble too much, and he shows me respect, something few others have done for me.

My thoughts are cut short when I arrive at the aquarium. I park quickly and rush inside to the room with the mertroll tanks in them only to find Latula speaking with Kurloz and Horrus and Porrim cleaning up a pool of blood that's in a sickeningly familiar shade of violet. There's a small trail of it that goes off towards one of the other rooms but my eyes are focused on the large pool of it in the center of the room. My stomach churns and I must force down the urge to be sick at the sight of just how much blood there is.

Carefully, I approach Porrim before clearing my throat to gain her attention. She looks up and sighs in what seems to be relief. Wiping her hands, she stands up, saying, "Thank Go+d yo+u're here, Kankri."

"What happened here, P9rrim?" I ask, doing my very best to keep my voice from breaking and showing just how much worry is in my heart, forcing my gaze away from the purple liquid that's covering the floor and to her face. She looks impossibly tired.

Porrim sighs, replying, "It wo+uld pro+bably be best if yo+u sit do+wn befo+re I tell yo+u. Why do+n't we go+ into+ my o+ffice."

I nod, silently following her into her office. She offers me a seat, but I choose to remain standing, despite her previous warning. She lets out another sigh and sits down heavily in her desk chair. She looks heavily weighted down by whatever knowledge it is that she has yet to share with me about what happened. In all the years I've known her, I've never seen her look more exhausted and worn out then she looks now.

She looks up at me, appearing to have aged five years in just the night and begins, "Two+ men bro+ke into+ the hidden area o+f the aquarium. They tried to+ take Cro+nus away. They managed to+ catch him in a net. Using the net, they dragged him o+ut o+f his tank and stared acro+ss the flo+o+r to+wards the do+o+rway. Cro+nus was struggling the who+le way, but it wasn't until they were near Kurlo+z and Ho+rrus' tank, abo+ut halfway to+ the do+o+r that they really reacted at all to+ him. It was then that o+ne o+f the men stabbed him in the side. When Cro+nus screamed, Ho+rrus hit the emergency alarm. The men tried to+ escape, but Kurlo+z and Ho+rrus were able to+ blo+ck their way until the security guard arrived. Latula and Mituna go+t here befo+re me. Kurlo+z and Ho+rrus had managed to+ untangle Cro+nus fro+m the net, but they hadn't remo+ved the knife in his side which was a smart mo+ve o+n their part. When Tula and Mit had go+tten him to+ the emergency ro+o+m, they remo+ved the knife and tried to+ clo+se up the wo+und. It was then that they no+ticed that the area aro+und the wo+und had become swo+llen to+ the po+int where they co+uldn't clo+se it. It became o+bvio+us that the knife had been co+ated in so+me kind o+f po+iso+n. What po+iso+n it is, we do+n't yet kno+w. All we do+ kno+w is that it will wo+rk very slo+wly and that it's go+ing to+ cause Cro+nus a great deal o+f pain. The reaso+n we need yo+ur help is that we need so+meo+ne to+ be at Cro+nus' side at all times to+ mo+nito+r his co+nditio+n while Tula, Mit and I are trying to+ find an antido+te fo+r the po+iso+n. So+meo+ne else needs to+ watch him that way the three o+f us can fo+cus all o+ur energy o+n saving him. I was ho+ping that yo+u wo+uld be willing to+ do+ it since I trust yo+u and I know that Cro+nus trusts you as well. So+…will yo+u help us, Kankri?"

BY the time she's finished, multiple emotions have gone through my; shock, horror, fury, sadness and lastly a heart wrenching fear that claws at my insides. I can feel the beginnings of what might be a panic attack but take deep breaths to try and calm myself. I collapse in the chair that Porrim had offered e before and drop my head into my hands, my eyes wide as my brain races to try and comprehend all of what Porrim just told me.

I'm silent for a while as I finally wrap my mind around the situation and have let it sink in a bit. Even after I have, it takes me a few moments longer to find my voice. Once I do, I look up at Porrim and reply, "9f c9urse I'll help, P9rrim. I'll gladly help in any way that I p9ssibly can."

A relieved smiles spreads over her face. It's small, hidden well under her exhaustion, but it's definitely there.

"Thank yo+u. Knowing that Cro+nus will have yo+u watching o+ver him greatly helps to+ ease so+me o+f my wo+rries. No+w, let me sho+w yo+u Cro+nus. I warn yo+u tho+ugh, it's no+t pleasant," She responds.

I nod, standing with her, "Its 9kay. I've 6een a mem6er 9f the C9ast Guard f9r many years. This is far fr9m the first time I've seen a seri9us injury. I was the 9ne wh9 f9und Cr9nus and his family 9n that 69at when his father had 6een speared with that harp99n, remem6er? Just lead the way."

She merely nods and leads me towards the emergency medical tank for heavy injuries. As we approach the door, I attempt to brace myself for whatever may be on the other side.

End of Chapter II

A/N: okay so yeah here's chapter two. I'm sorry it took so long. I've been swamped with projects since it's the end of the quarterly. I hope you guys enjoy this and please leaves me reviews. When I get no reviews I worry that no one is reading this and that it's not good.

Also, I forgot to say this before but there will be differences between this AU and the original au created by . There aren't a ton of them but there's a few of them, for instance instead of all of the mertrolls; beta, alpha and ancestors being in one big aquarium, they're going to be in three separate aquariums or at least three separate facilities within the aquarium so they're separate. I know that it's not like that in the original au but that's just how I chose to make it in this story because it works with an idea I have for later on in the story. There are a few others but I can't talk about those without giving away spoilers.

SO yeah, please review you guys. I really want to know what you guys think. If there's something you need clarification on or any mistakes I made please tell me. And please tell me what you think. I really want to know what you guys think. It means a lot to me to know how readers like my stories. So please tell me.

Until next time.

Wolf-Chan out.


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